simonc13

I wonder if the BBC realise what a mess they have made of this show?! I think the high amounts of viewers comes from predominantly younger viewers now. I can't imagine many young adults tuning in for this anymore! I'll dip and out and see if it improves but I doubt it will. Also - looks as though a potentially good storyline with Nikki and her girlfriend has been wrapped up in record time! I guess now they're engaged that'll form the basis for Nikki's exit.

This is so good! It's great to see a series be relaunched and actually work. I think it's because the chemistry between Lesley, Linda and Pauline is great. It was a bad idea having a lot of extra characters though, as others have said. I think it would have worked with just the younger son (and maybe a few appearances by Garth), but the Australian girlfriend is awful! Luckily that doesn't detract too much from the main show. Really really enjoying this!

It needs to be axed now. It's turning into a bad daytime soap. I don't think the BBC will though!

Did anybody watch this last night? Tried for ten minutes but it was just so dull!

Hmm, 9.12 looks good - Zoe Lucker was great in Footballer's Wives, so it's nice to see her actually get a storyline of her own away from her children. Her character actually has a lot of potential, so fingers crossed they don't mess this one up! I honestly think the key to getting this show back on track is to cast some brilliant new teachers. Let's face it, the show was more or less focused on the adult's lives in the earlier series, and it worked. The problems started when too much focus was put on the kids (hence the show resembling something from CBBC!) and the teachers/adults fell into the background of the drama. All they need to do is cast quality actors and get in some good writers who can think up new and exciting stories (I'd volunteer myself for that one!) The show can still be saved, but if the rest of Series 9 is as bad as the first half then the end may be nigh after Series 10! That 'historical' episode will surely go down as the worst episode ever..

Definitely looking forward to Nikki's new relationship with Sue's sister - this show desperately needs a good adult relationship! They had a good chemistry. Too much focus on the kids recently. One request from me: less cringe, more believable drama. That's it! Thanks for posting the info Calum :)

Well, colour me impressed! Just caught up on iPlayer. Definitely, like Calum said, one of the best Scotland episodes so far. Steven is a great new addition. Kacey had a great last episode. Liking the possible new relationship for Nikki. Simon has grown on me, too. To compare this to that awful 'history' episode we had a few weeks back - well, let's just say to forget about that one forever! Glad to see this show can still pull off a semi-decent episode.

Oh yes he's very beautiful! I imagine that he's Connor's replacement (as he is slightly similar looking...) for when Connor goes off to cookery school or whatever. The sooner him and Imogen have left it, the better. There is a serious lack of good pupils in it at the minute, they need to bring in some genuinely interesting ones soon. And please let them stop with the dramatic introductions that then lead to nothing... Lula's crazy family haven't been heard of or even mentioned since her opening few episodes, the twins barely talk about their older brother after all the fuss at the start of this series. The connections between episodes as far as these storylines go are seriously weak. I keep on saying all this, but it does seem a little pointless now as the show is way past its sell-by date. In hindsight it should have just ended after Series 7, with something like a 2-hour special tagged on the end in which the legendary characters returned for the finale. The whole Scotland thing just isn't working and I can't see how it will suddenly pick up and return to former glories!

This week's episode was much better... but the cringe-o-meter rocketed back up to 100 when Shaznay said to Darren "when you mess with one sister, you mess with us all!" Possibly the worst and most lazy feminist line I've heard in a while! Also - when the show tries to do more controversial storylines now (such as the whole Lenny and the supply teacher etc.), it sits quite awkwardly amid all the jolly, childish atmosphere the show has these days - like it's just been copied and pasted in as a token gesture. At least they're trying though. That Steven pupil looks interesting!

You've convinced me to give it a go! Nothing can be as bad as last week.. I think!

Not entirely sure if I dare to attempt tonight's episode. I almost died of cringing at the last one! I guess it's still good for a laugh or two though (or I might just stick on the end of the Series 2 boxset).

Yay for round two! FAVOURITE SERIES: 5 (Rachel, Steph, Kim and Ruby all in one series = amazing) FAVOURITE DEPUTY: Eddie Lawson FAVOURITE TEACHERS: Steph Haydock, Izzie Redpath, Ruby Fry, Grantly Budgen FAVOURITE PUPILS: Chlo, Mika, Janeece, Maxine, Sambuca, Jodie FAVOURITE SECRETARY: Janeece FAVOURITE OTHER: Candice Smilie FITTEST MALES: Kevin and Josh FITTEST FEMALES: Mika and Sian BEST DRAMATIC EPISODE: Maxine dies FUNNIEST: Steph Haydock (her comedy was one of the best things about the show!) FAVOURITE COUPLE: Grantly and Fleur

I agree with both your posts. I'd also say that Waterloo Road would probably work best as a daytime soap now - something akin to Doctors. It's just far too weak to be in the prime time position it is now. I think one of the reason's behind the show's change is that it's now aimed at a different audience - primarily kids. I mean, goats inside the school and playing dress up?! But the really weird thing about this show is that, amid all the childish elements, writers will chuck in themes such as rape (Dynasty) and drugs (Barry in the last episode), which just does not work at all. I just had to laugh when they played dubstep music to represent the mental affects of taking drugs :rolleyes: There's nothing particularly shocking or dark in the show now. The earlier series were aimed at adults and late-teens, I would say, hence the much grittier themes. Does anyone know if it's always aired at 8pm? I might have read somewhere that Series 1 & 2 aired past the watershed but I'm not sure.

True - the image of a mini-bus heading to Scotland wouldn't have exactly been a fitting end to the show. They could have chosen a better location, though. Greenock just looks too picturesque on camera (no idea what it's like as a place though!) whereas Rochdale was a more fitting setting. If they do want to salvage this show (and surely losing 2.5 million viewers in the last one or two years is an incentive to do something!) then I definitely agree that they need to get new writers and producers on board. It was obviously a conscious decision to send the show down this new route, but maybe they'll do a U-Turn now. They need to remember that the show started out as a drama, not a children's TV show!

Series 7 is the most-watched of all the series?! Didn't expect that. It makes the move to Scotland even more idiotic - the show was doing just fine and then they went and ruined it. Had it stayed in Rochdale it could have easily returned to its former glories, but there's just no point to the show anymore now it's in Scotland. None of the old cast can realistically return on a regular basis, and that's a real killer. The kebab shop episode was pretty bad, but I can honestly say that this week's episode is probably the worst there has ever been in the show's history. I actually feel quite embarassed watching this show now, and to think just three years ago it was my favourite show on TV!